2012 Cruise Companion and Shore Excursions - Uniworld River ...

Wonders of China & the Grand Yangtze
Your evening here, complete with a special performance of
native classical music and dance, is a rare opportunity to
experience a truly intimate and memorable encounter with
traditional Chinese culture.
Day 4 | Suzhou, Shanghai, cruising the Yangtze River
b e BB, L, D
Featured Excursions: Humble Administrator’s Garden and
Embroidery Institute 8 2 b
The beautiful waterside city of Suzhou is a cultural mecca
known for its magnificent gardens, silk, and embroidery. You’ll
begin your day here with a visit to the Humble Administrator’s
Garden, which covers over 12 acres (5 hectares) and is the
city’s largest and most famous garden. Listed as a UNESCO
World Heritage Site and originally built in 1509, during the
Ming Dynasty, the Humble Administrator’s Garden is the
perfect place for you to explore the elegance of China’s
carefully designed classical gardens.
Afterward, enjoy a visit to the Embroidery Institute, where
you will have the chance to learn more about this intricate art
form and the opportunity to buy handmade pieces to take
home with you. In the late afternoon, you’ll return to Shanghai
and board your elegant Victoria Cruises ship to begin your
cruise down the mighty Yangtze River.
Day 5 | Cruising the Yangtze River, Nanjing BB, L, D
Featured Excursion: Ming Dynasty City Wall Museum
7 2 b p m
Today, your cruise takes you to China’s “Southern Capital,”
Nanjing. The massive Ming Dynasty-era city wall and the
various monuments and tombs scattered around the city bear
witness to the historical importance of Nanjing, which served
as the capital city of six Chinese dynasties. Your next stop is
at Nanjing’s traditional-style Confucian Temple, which overlooks
the Qinhuai River, one of the Yangtze’s tributaries. While the
alleys behind the temple used to be a famous courtesan district,
they now feature shops full of toys and fascinating trinkets.
This evening, enjoy a special Captain’s Welcome Reception
onboard the ship. After dinner, enjoy the beautiful Victoria
Fashion Show.
Day 6 | Cruising the Yangtze River, Huangshan BB, L, D
Featured Excursion: Huangshan Mountain tour 8 3 b
Enjoy a full-day trip to Huangshan Mountain, which boasts
eastern China’s most striking natural landscapes. Not a
single mountain but actually a string of impressive peaks,
Huangshan has long been a favorite subject of traditional
Chinese paintings and literature; it also served as a retreat
for many Chinese emperors. You’ll understand its longstanding
popularity when you take in the views from both the bottom
and the top of the mountain. The foothills below Huangshan
feature picturesque traditional villages with flooded rice
paddies nestled in the shadow of towering peaks. The
mountain itself is dotted with ancient twisted pines and
strange rock formations and shrouded in thick romantic
mists. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is truly one of the
most beautiful and memorable places in China.
Note: Depending on river conditions, an alternative tour to
Jiuhuashan Mountain may be substituted.
Day 7 | Cruising the Yangtze River, Wuhan BB, L, D
Featured Excursion: Ancient Guqin Terrace 5 1 b
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province and the political,
economic, cultural, and educational hub of central China.
Today you will visit the lovely Guqin, or Heptachord, Terrace.
It was built over 1,000 years ago to commemorate a deep
friendship that arose between an important official who played
the heptachord (an ancient stringed instrument) and a humble
woodcutter. Zhong Ziqi was so moved by the beauty of the
music Yu Boya played that it changed them both and inspired
a legend.
Day 8 | Cruising the Yangtze River p BB, L, D
The Yangtze River is the third-longest river in the world, and
your cruise will show you some of its most beautiful sights.
Your luxury ship provides the perfect setting for soaking up
the breathtaking views of mist-shrouded mountains and
jagged limestone cliffs that surround you on either side as
you make your way down the river. You’ll also see bucolic
hillside rice paddies, village fishermen at work with their
nets, and historic cliff-side carvings. Today, enjoy a full day
cruising the majestic Yangtze. Enjoy the Victoria Minorities
Show, featuring costumes and customs from some of the
56 ethnic groups that make up China.
Wonders of China & the Grand Yangtze
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